Kiribati The Forgotten Victims of Cyclone Pam Need Your Help Too

Whilst there is no doubt about the damage and loss of life caused by Cyclone Pam on Vanuatu, thanks to the terrific coverage provided by the media outlets, the other Pacific nations impacted by Pam are being quietly forgotten and overlooked.

Radio NZ have provided some limited coverage of the situation on Kiribati. News in Australia is almost non-existent of these other impacted nations.

Kiribati has received now a double blow, and is about to receive yet another. First the highest Spring tides recorded to date swept over the islands at the end of February. Next Cyclone Pam arrived, now further Spring tides are expected this week with heights of 2.8m, higher than most of the islands.

Extensive flooding, contamination of drinking water sources, loss of crops, inability to get to the fishing grounds are all real on Kiribati. All these are testing the people who as recently as last Saturday were congratulating the Australian and New Zealand government on their support for Vanuatu.

Let’s not forget these other neighbours of ours, Kiribati and Tuvalu, although the media appear to have lost site of these islands, we can still assist them. The damage is far more widespread than simply Vanuatu. 45% of housing has been blown away or demolished by Pam in the southern islands of Kiribati leaving people homeless and exposed. Many native dwellings on Tarawa were extensively flooded and damaged. Storm surges and high Spring tides compounded by Cyclone Pam have caused severe damage on the main island, damage to Tarawa’s infrastructure further hampers their efforts to help themseleves.

Medical supplies, food, shelter and water purification/desalination is desperately needed in Kiribati.

But government level assistance is required now for immediate help. Goods collected and shipped to Kiribati by NGO’s and other non-government organisations if they were to leave tomorrow will take at least 4 week to arrive.

I am starting this petition after canvassing all the Australia aid agencies, both government and non-government, all of whom appear to be focused solely on Vanuatu.

I urge you to sign this petition to encourage the Australian government to not overlook Kiribati or Tavalu and provide some assistance before disease becomes widespread and we have a different type of humanitarian disaster to deal with. Please share this petition with your friends of good will and all those with a conscience.